If there is a Mariah Carey song that has made — and is still making — history, that's undoubtedly “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” Originally included on her 1994 Merry Christmas album, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” has become a true Christmas classic. “It was the first song that I wrote for that album. I just sat down, decorated a little tree and put on It's A Wonderful Life and tried to get into that mood,” Mariah told Nicola Fahey in 2019. “Then I sat in this small room with a keyboard and started doing little melodies and stuff. I was going over all the things I think about at Christmas time that make me happy and how to turn it around and make it into a love song.”
“All I Want For Christmas Is You” was released as an airplay-only single in the United States on November 14, 1994. At the time, Billboard required songs to be released as commercial singles in order to chart on the Hot 100. The rules changed in 1998, with Billboard allowing airplay-only tracks or album cuts to chart on the Hot 100. “All I Want For Christmas Is You” finally made its debut during the week of January 8, 2000, entering the chart at number eighty-three.
In 2012, Billboard started counting digital sales and online streams for the Hot 100, allowing the song to re-enter the chart during the 2012 Christmas season, when it reached a new peak of twenty-one during the week of January 5, 2013. “All I Want For Christmas Is You” would re-enter the chart every holiday season, eventually peaking at number nine in 2017.
In 2018, the rules were changed to adjust streaming weighting, which saw the song reaching a new peak of number three during the week of January 5, 2019. “All I Want For Christmas Is You” finally climbed to the top spot on December 21, 2019, bringing Mariah's total of number-one singles to nineteen. As of 2024, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” has spent a total of fourteen non-consecutive weeks atop the Hot 100 chart and is the only song to hold the top position in five different chart years (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023).
On 24 December 2023, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” logged 23,701,697 filtered streams on Spotify — the sixth consecutive Christmas Eve on which the track had broken its own streaming total on the platform. In The United States, the song was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America on December 3, 2021. As of 2024, the song has been certified 14x Platinum.
“All I Want For Christmas Is You” became Mariah's best-selling single in Japan, peaking at number two on the Oricon Singles Chart on December 12, 1994. The song was certified Million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan in 1995, denoting sales of over 1 million copies.
In the United Kingdom, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” peaked at number two during its first chart run, spending five consecutive weeks in the Top 10 from December 12, 1994, to January 7, 1995. On December 17, 2020, it became Mariah's third number-one song in the country, where it also holds the record for the most weeks in the Top 10 history — forty-four weeks. As of 2024, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” has spent three weeks atop the UK's Official Singles Chart and has been certified 8x Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry.
After originally peaking at number two on the Australian ARIA Charts, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” hit number one for the first time in 2018, becoming Mariah's third number-one song in Australia. It has now spent eight weeks atop the chart and was certified 11x Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association in December 2023.
“All I Want For Christmas Is You” has topped the charts in over twenty-five countries and has spent eighteen weeks atop Billboard's Global 200 chart — which ranks the top songs globally based on digital sales and online streaming — making it the longest running number-one song in the chart's history.
Mariah recorded new vocals for the So So Def Remix of “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” featuring Jermaine Dupri and Lil' Bow Wow. The remix, which samples Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force's “Planet Rock,” was released in Japan in 2000, and later included on the Deluxe Anniversary Edition of Merry Christmas, released in 2019.
To commemorate the song's 15th anniversary, new dance mixes of “All I Want For Christmas Is You” were released on November 23, 2009. Produced by Low Sunday (Ron Haney, Bart Schoudel and Joey Arbagey), the remixes were later included on the Deluxe Anniversary Edition of Merry Christmas. In 2010, Mariah recorded a new version of the song — the Extra Festive version — for her second Christmas album, Merry Christmas II You.
| Song | Remix | Run time |
|---|---|---|
| All I Want For Christmas Is You | So So Def Remix feat. Jermaine Dupri and Lil' Bow Wow
Produced by Jermaine Dupri. |
3:44 |
| All I Want For Christmas Is You | Mariah's New Dance Mix 2009
Produced by Low Sunday. |
4:58 |
| All I Want For Christmas Is You | Mariah's New Dance Mix 2009 — Edit
Produced by Low Sunday. |
3:35 |
| All I Want For Christmas Is You | Mariah's New Dance Mix 2009 — Extended
Produced by Low Sunday. |
6:41 |
| All I Want For Christmas Is You | Extra Festive
Produced by Mariah Carey, James “Big Jim” Wright and Randy Jackson. |
4:02 |
| All I Want For Christmas Is You | Magical Christmas Mix
Produced by Mariah Carey, Marc Shaiman, Frank Wolf and Scott M. Riesett. |
4:29 |
The original video for “All I Want For Christmas Is You” was directed by Diane Martel and filmed at the Fairy Tale Forest in New Jersey in late 1993. It was shot using Super-8mm film to recreate the feel of a home video. “I had so much fun making the video for ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You,’ and I actually made the video before I wrote the song, which is really weird,” Mariah told MTV. “There's no lip sync in the video at all, it's just cuts of different Christmas activities. I was just playing in the snow and acting like a freak and rolling around with Santa Claus, harassing my dogs by making them wear antlers and stuff…”
The 1960s-inspired black and white “All I Want For Christmas Is You” music video was released in 1994. Inspired by The Ronettes, Mariah sings the song surrounded by dancers and backup singers.
The animated video for the So So Def Remix of “All I Want For Christmas Is You” was inspired by the Mariah cartoon that first appeared on the “Heartbreaker” video in 1999. The clip features appearances by Mariah, Jermaine Dupri, Lil' Bow Wow, Mariah's dog Jack and Santa Claus, among others, and premiered on BET in December 2000.
Mariah revisited the original video footage in 2019 and debuted a new version of video to commemorate the song's 25th anniversary. “Kicking off the festivities with a brand new video cut for ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You.’ Hope you like it!!!” she wrote on Twitter.
Mariah Carey celebrated the 25th anniversary of “All I Want For Christmas Is You” with a brand new music video for the song, directed by Joseph Kahn. “We wanted to make a modern classic,” she explained during a Q&A portion leading up to the vide's premiere. “It's kind of the opposite of the original video… This is more of a production.” An extended cut of the video was available on Kahn's official website.
In 2023, Mariah debuted a new music video for “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” The Festive Lamb Edition, which premiered on YouTube on December 8, features footage from Mariah's Merry Christmas One and All! tour.
The animated lyric video for “All I Want For Christmas Is You” premiered on YouTube on December 17, 2021.
The European “All I Want For Christmas Is You” single, issued on CD and 7" Vinyl, includes “Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)” as the B-side. Two additional Maxi Singles were available, the first one including “Jesus Oh What A Wonderful Child” as the third track, and the second Maxi Single — a limited edition picture disc — includes “Silent Night.”
The United Kingdom saw the release of two “All I Want For Christmas Is You” Maxi Singles, both including “Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)” as track two and an additional song. CD 1 became available on November 28, 1994, and includes “Joy To The World.” CD 2 was released on December 5 and includes “Silent Night.” The Single, including “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and “Miss You Most (At Christmas Time),” was available on Cassette. A Cassette Maxi Single was also issued, including “Joy To The World” and Mariah's first number one in the UK, “Without You.”
In Australia, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” was released as a double A-side with “Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)” on both CD and Cassette.
Originally released in Japan on October 29, 1994, the country has seen plenty of re-releases of the single thanks to its massive success. The most notable one being the “All I Want For Christmas Is You 2000” CD single, which was released on December 23, 2000, featuring two different covers and including the brand new So So Def Remix of the song, as well as a live version of “O Holy Night.”
On November 17, 2015, Sony Music released a limited edition picture disc 4-song EP 10" vinyl including the album version and the So So Def remix of “All I Want For Christmas Is You” as well as the album version and the Celebration Mix Edit of “Joy To The World.” On October 24, 2018, Sony Music Japan released a limited edition 7" single pressed on red vinyl.
“All I Want For Christmas Is You” was re-released in 2019 to commemorate its 25th anniversary. The new limited edition variants include: two cassettes (one in red, one in green), a 12" single including a sheet of cut-out Christmas decorations, a 7" vinyl including a special interior pop-up gatefold Christmas scene and two CD singles, one of them personally autographed by Mariah.
In 2024, to commemorate the song's 30th anniversary, four new releases were issued, all featuring brand new cover art that pays homage to the original Merry Christmas artwork: a CD single, a 12" Vinyl, a Cassette Single and a 7" Vinyl.
The brand new CD single includes both the original version and the So So Def remix of “All I Want For Christmas Is You;” the Magical Christmas Mix of “Christmas Time Is In the Air Again,” from Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special; a previously-unreleased recording of “Christmas Wrapping” with Mariah's daughter Roe, recorded live at Madison Square Garden during the 2022 Merry Christmas To All! tour; the Video Version of “Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)” and the Celebration Mix of “Joy To The World.”
The 12" Vinyl pressing of the “All I Want For Christmas Is You” single includes five bonus tracks: “Oh Santa!” featuring Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson from Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special; “The Star” from The Star original motion picture soundtrack, “Christmas Wrapping” featuring Roe, live from Madison Square Garden; the Video Version of “Miss You Most (At Christmas Time);” Mariah's 2021 collaboration with Khalid and Kirk Franklin on “Fall In Love At Christmas,” as well as the Celebration Mix of “Joy To The World.”
Both the Cassette and 7" Vinyl include “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and an extra song: “Sleigh Ride” is included on the 7" vinyl, while the Cassette Single features the live version of “ All I Want For Christmas Is You” recorded live at the Tokyo Dome during Mariah's Daydream tour.
Sony Music Japan also issued two exclusive 30th anniversary releases: a CD single with the same track list as the international edition but with different artwork housed in a 7" cardboard sleeve and with two bonus Christmas cards, and a limited edition white Cassette Single, including the album version and the live version from the Tokyo Dome of “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true…
All I want for Christmas
Is you…
I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I don't need to hang my stocking
There upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won't make me happy
With a toy on Christmas day
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you…
You baby
I won't ask for much this Christmas
I won't even wish for snow
I'm just gonna keep on waiting
Underneath the mistletoe
I won't make a list and send it
To the North Pole for Saint Nick
I won't even stay awake to
Hear those magic reindeer click
'Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What more can I do
Baby all I want for Christmas is you
You…
All the lights are shining
So brightly everywhere
And the sound of children's
Laughter fills the air
And everyone is singing
I hear those sleigh bells ringing
Santa won't you bring me the one I really need — won't you please bring my baby to me…
Oh I don't want a lot for Christmas
This is all I'm asking for
I just want to see my baby
Standing right outside my door
Oh I just want him for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Baby all I want for Christmas is
You…
All I want for Christmas is you baby
(Repeat)
Written by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff.
Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey.
